


Who knows what the future holds

by TheGIrlAnachronism



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: 6.13 speculations, Annie's POV, F/M, Hopeful Ending, I don't know, I just wanted to try to see thing from Annie's perspective, I'm pretty sure this is a bit of a rambling mess, since the show tells us nothing about what's she's thinking this season
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-02 08:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4052470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGIrlAnachronism/pseuds/TheGIrlAnachronism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>She understood it now. What Britta and Shirley had talked about before. About how there are some people that you just can't shake from your system no matter how hard you try. Jeff was Annie's Blade, he was her Andre.<i></i></i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who knows what the future holds

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of my own speculations about the 6.13 promo  
> This isn't beta read. Sorry for any mistakes.

Annie drummed her fingers on the table, chin resting in her other hand as she waited for Britta to finish up some things in the back of the bar before she could lock up. She looked up when the bathroom door swung open. Jeff's tall frame emerged from the doorway and he paused, eyes sweeping over the empty bar.

“Uh…jeez, how long was I in there? Where did everybody go?”

Annie bit her lip and straightened up in her seat putting her hands down on the table and lacing her fingers together. She and Jeff hadn't spent that much time just the two of them this year. Which is the way Annie had intended it. She had made a conscious decision down in Borchert's lab all those months earlier to put a little distance between herself and the older man. So that she might have a chance to move on. To move past the weird limbo like state their relationship—or whatever you would call it—had been in for the last five years.

She didn't know much longer she could take getting her hopes up that something might happen only to have them dropped and stomped on. Her heart felt battered too much already. She was afraid that if things carried on they way they'd always been she would end up bitter and resentful and unable to be around Jeff at all. She didn't want that. His friendship was too important to her to let that happen. She figured a bit of breathing room would do her some good. And so far it had been. Sort of. But she'd be lying if she said she didn't miss him. Miss them. The way they had been before. Teaming up for their 'cutesy capers' as the dean had put it, being the 'perfect duet'.

She had been doing well for a while. Spending time doing silly things with Abed, trying to feel the void Troy had left behind, had been a nice distraction. It had kept her mind off of thinking about the feelings she was trying to forget. But they had been beginning to creep up on her again lately. Especially since Garret's wedding.

Abed's season seven 'prediction' of her and Jeff as some kind of generic sitcom married couple didn't help matters. The idea of such a fantasy brought up some of Annie's own from the past that she would rather stay there.

“Annie?”

She snapped out of her reverie at the sound of Jeff's voice and blinked. She looked at Jeff and saw concern etched on his stupidly handsome face.

“Everybody left,” she said abruptly, brushing passed any possible inquiries Jeff might make about what was on her mind. “Abed and Chang went to do some thing for Abed's latest movie project, so I'm waiting for Britta.”

“Oh.” Jeff nodded. “Uh, want some company?” he asked,

“Oh, you don't have to,” Annie said quickly. “I'm sure Britta won't be much longer.”

“Annie.” His tone and expression offered no room for argument. He was staying.

“Okay,” Annie said, forcing up a polite smile. “Thanks.” Jeff smiled back and slid out the chair opposite Annie and folded himself onto it.

He blew out a sigh, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his hands over his thighs. He looked at the table, eyebrow quirking. “Huh, I could have sworn I still had half a glass of Scotch left when I went to the bathroom.”

“Oh, uh, Britta cleared the table,” Annie remarked.

“Hmm. Too bad.” Jeff frowned.

So did Annie. “Yeah, I guess.” She chewed on her bottom lip as she contemplated Jeff's remorse for his lost drink. She had always known that the man loved his Scotch. But she was starting to worry that his dependency might have gotten a bit too out of control. It bothered Annie thinking that Jeff might have been sliding down a slippery slope without her noticing because she was too focused on pulling herself up out of the sinkhole of their quasi-romantic relationship. That he might have needed her help at a time when she hadn't been able to offer any. Because she had been doing what she felt was best for her for once.

“So.” Annie was once again pulled from her thoughts by Jeff's voice. “That Abed sure has some interesting ideas about a 'seventh season', huh?” Jeff remarked, with the usual sardonic hint in his tone.

Annie huffed. “Interesting is one way to put it,” Annie replied. “You and me married? Like that's ever gonna happen.” Annie rolled her eyes, smiling and shaking her head in an exaggerated attempt to seem casual, hoping that he heat she felt flooding her cheeks wasn't showing.

“Well, is it really that implausible?” Jeff countered. “I mean after all the guy has made some predictions in the past that have ended up being scarily accurate.” Jeff smiled at her, a soft friendly smile. They were just two friends commiserating over the wackiness of another friend. But there was something, an underlying solemness in Jeff's eyes that trapped Annie. That made her think of all those years ago in the study room after Shirley told them about Abed's movie where the Jeff and Annie characters ended up kissing.

That had been the first time Annie's attraction to Jeff had really awoken. Of course she had noticed how handsome he was before that, she had eyes. But she had still been clinging to her crush on Troy at the time, and channeling most of her energy into getting her life back on track. Rigidly focused on staying on the right path, wound so tight she was about to snap. Then Jeff inspired her loosen up a bit, to let her hair down. Literally.

She understood it now. What Britta and Shirley had talked about before. About how there are some people that you just can't shake from your system no matter how hard you try. Jeff was Annie's Blade, he was her Andre. She could try and distance herself from him all she liked, but he would always be there in her heart. Maybe instead of trying to let her feelings go, she should just accept them as being apart of her. Apart of the person she is now. It may have started out as a girlish crush, but her feelings for Jeff had certainly evolved beyond that. They were real, substantial, and had made an impact on Annie's own development. Maybe she she was making a mistake trying to forget about her feelings. Maybe she didn't have to let go completely. She just had to be wary of falling into old patterns. Which would be all too easy to do. Especially when Jeff looked at her the way he was now.

He looked completely earnest now, eyes focused and intent. It made Annie's breath freeze in her throat. He slid his hand across the table towards hers, like he was reaching to take it, but stopped in the center, curling his fingers inward. He looked away but Annie could still see the way his face pinched in consternation. He sighed and looked Annie in the eyes again. “Annie…”

“Okay, I'm ready.” Annie whirled around as Britta came around the bar, pulling on her jacket. Jeff's chair screeched against the floor as he quickly stood up, making Annie look back at him.

“Oh, Jeff, you're still here,” Britta remarked. “I thought you left.”

“Well, apparently you were wrong,” he replied. “Luckily for you I'm your friend and not a normal customer or I'd be chewing you out for tossing the rest of my fifteen dollar glass of scotch down the drain.”

“Whatever.” Britta rolled her eyes. “It's closing time. It's not my fault you didn't drink it fast enough.” She turned to Annie. “Come on, Annie.”

Annie stood up and started sliding her chair in.

“Oh, could you put that on table?” Britta asked.

“Oh.” Annie bent down to pick up the chair and upturn on the tabletop like all the others in the bar were, but Jeff grabbed it before she got the chance.

“Here, I got it.”

Annie gave him a smile. “Thanks.”

Britta scoffed. “I'm sure Annie is plenty capable of lifting a _chair_ on her own, Jeff. She's not some helpless damsel.”

“Trust me, I know how capable Annie is,” Jeff said, lifting is own chair and putting on the table as well. “Are we ready to go now?”

“Oh, and I guess this is where you offer to walk us to our car because two women can't possibly be out on their own at night,” Britta said. “Please. I can handle the mean streets of Greendale. After all, I lived New York.”

Jeff and Annie groaned.

“Britta we're all leaving anyway, and Jeff's car is parked right next to mine,” Annie said. “So it isn't an insult to our independence for him to walk with us. Now can we go?”

“Come on,” Britta grumbled, face sour, and turned toward the exit.

Jeff and Annie shared a smile and followed.

 

“Well, goodnight,” Annie bade, pausing next to the driver's side of her car. Britta was already inside, buckling herself in the passenger's seat.

“Yeah, goodnight,” Jeff returned.

A beat passed without either of them moving or speaking.

Annie let out a nervous laugh. “I guess I should…” She ticked her head towards the car and reached for the handle.

“Annie,” Jeff blurted, sounding almost desperate. Jeff took one long-legged stride forward and was practically right in front of her. Annie's eyes swiveled upward to see his face.

“Yeah?”

Jeff looked down at her. Blue eyes serious. Whatever he had to say must be important. He sighed. His intense expression smoothing out in a friendly smile. “Drive safe.”

Annie blinked. “Oh. Um, you too.”

“See you Monday.”

“Uh…yeah. See ya.”  
  
Annie's brow furrowed as she watched Jeff turn and go to his own car. She was startled by the blare of a car horn and whipped around. Britta was waving her hands gesturing for Annie to hurry up. She cast a glance over her shoulder to see Jeff getting in his car. She sighed, turned away and opened the car door.

 

Annie was patting her freshly cleaned face dry when her phone chimed. She tossed down the towel and picked up the phone.

_I'm downstairs_

She gaped at the text from Jeff, not sure how to respond. Another popped up before she could think of something.

_Can u come down?_

Well, at least that was simple enough to answer.

_Ok. Just a sec._

_Thanks_

 

Annie sneaked out of the apartment, careful not disturb Britta who was asleep on the couch, and went outside to meet Jeff. He was pacing back and forth on the pavement just outside the building when she got there.

“Hey,” she greeted tentatively and Jeff froze, head whipping up, eyes looking a little frantic.

“Hey,” he returned, tone tense.

Annie's brow furrowed. “Jeff, what's going on? Are you okay?”

Jeff chuckled humorlessly. “Am I okay? Well, let's see. I'm a middle aged man who is failing miserably at a job that I never wanted in the first place, after failing for a second time at the career I always wanted. I have no future prospects to speak of. The only thing I have to look forward to now is the slow crawl to death. While all the people I care about are moving on to bigger and better things and leaving me behind to rot. Oh, and I'm pretty sure I have a drinking problem that is getting out of control. So, 'okay' wouldn't exactly be the word I would use to describe how I am.”

Annie stared up at Jeff, lips parted, taken aback. She certainly hadn't been expecting the deluge of information he'd just given her. He mentioned his drinking problem. Maybe that's why he was here. Maybe he was asking for help.

“Oh and I almost forgot,” Jeff continued before Annie could sort out any sort of response. “I also happen to be in love with a woman who is the exact opposite of everything that I am. Who is young and ambitious, and brilliant and has such an amazing future ahead of her. Who is remarkably put together, and who I truly believe could accomplish pretty much anything she set her mind to. In short, someone who is too good for me in every conceivable way. Oh, and in case there's any confusion, the woman I'm talking about is you.”

Now Annie really didn't know what to say.

“Annie?”

“Hm?” she squeaked.

Jeff sighed. “I'm sorry. God,” he groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face. He shook his head. “I know this may seem like it's coming from no where. And I hate to just blurt it out like that but I don't know any other way to say it. I've been trying to think of something ever since my feelings for you made that damn door open in Borchert's lab.”

Annie gasped. “You…That was because of me? I…I was your burst of human passion?”

Jeff nodded.

Annie could feel her heart lifting. She needed to catch it before it flew away. She shook her head. “But, wasn't that the same day that you asked Britta to marry you?”

Jeff winced. “Uh. Yeah.”

“So, just hours after getting engaged to another woman you realized that you…that you're…”

“In love with you?” Jeff supplied.

Annie nodded. She was having trouble saying the words herself. After being shot down so many times whenever she suggested Jeff might have feelings for her she was wary. Even now after Jeff himself just made a declaration of love. Not just that he loved Annie. That he was in love with her.

“So…” Jeff ventured. “How do you feel about that?”

“Honestly? Confused,” Annie replied. “I mean, two years ago, one year ago, the idea of Jeff Winger showing up on my doorstep to declare his love for me was something that I daydreamed about.”

“Well, technically this isn't your doorstep,” Jeff said, deflecting with humor.

Annie rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself. “Anyway. But now…Jeff, it took a lot for me to let go of those daydreams. I almost thought I wouldn't be able to. But…”  
  
“But you did.”  
  
“Yeah. I had to. I didn't have a choice.”

Jeff sighed, bobbing his head. “I understand. I've been an idiot for a long time. Pushing aside my feelings for you, trying to deny that they existed, because of my own hang ups. This is my fault. I'm too late.”

Annie bit her lip and shook her head. “I didn't say that. I'm not really sure what to say. This is kind of a big deal. And you're timing is just…” She sighed. “I'm going to Denver in two weeks,” she blurted.

Jeff brow crinkled. “What?”

Annie nodded. “Yeah. I got accepted into this internship program with the FBI branch there.”

It was Jeff's turn to look shocked. “Wow, Annie. That's…” He shook his head. “Uh, when did this happen?”  
  
“I just got the acceptance letter this morning.”  
  
“Why haven't you mentioned it before?”

Annie shrugged. “I don't know. I didn't actually think I had a shot at getting it. Frankie's the one that talked me into applying.”

Jeff huffed a laugh. “Well, that's amazing. I'm happy for you.”

Annie smiled. “Thanks.”

“So, does that mean that you're moving to Denver?” Jeff wanted to know.

“Not permanently,” Annie replied. “The internship is just for the summer.”

“Yeah. I bet you'll be running the place by September. They won't want you to leave.” Jeff smiled, but Annie could see the dimness of lost hope in his eyes.

“I have no idea what will happen after the internship,” Annie said. “I have no idea what I want to happen. When I first came to Greendale I had my entire future planned out. But over the course of my time there those plans got rearranged so many times that now I don't really have any plan at all. And, oddly enough that feels really good.” She smiled. “The biggest lesson I learned is that we can't control what will happen in life.”  
  
“It's out of our hands,” Jeff remarked.

“Yeah.” Annie bit her lip. “I'm not sure about the future, what will happen after Denver, but I do know that I have two weeks left here. And I would like to spend them maybe trying to figure things out between us. It could be a start.”  
  
Jeff's eyebrows rose. “Yeah? Are you sure?”

Annie nodded. “Yeah. I am.”

Jeff smiled. So did Annie.

Jeff took a step closer until there was barely an inch left between their bodies and lifted his hand to cup Annie's cheek. Annie craned her neck up to look into his eyes. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She had dreamed about moments like this so many times over the years it was hard to believe it had actually been six years since the last time they kissed. She wondered if it would live up to the memory. She slowly rose up on her tip toes as Jeff bent forward and finally their lips met. It was definitely as good as she remembered. In fact, it was even better.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this. I just needed to write some kind of happy ending in case Harmon doesn't give us one. I'd love any feedback!


End file.
